Chapter 6 - The Trap Is Sprung
The morning of day ten broke under heavy, pewter skies. A relentless Pacific Northwest drizzle drummed against the windows of our home. Daniel came down the stairs wearing a crisp tailored navy suit, looking polished and self-assured. He checked his gold watch—a gift I had bought him for our fifth anniversary—and adjusted his silk tie in the hallway mirror.
"I have some high-level client consultations in Bellevue today, Nora," he announced smoothly, kissing my uninjured cheek with theatrical tenderness. "I might be late coming home. Don't wait up for dinner."
"Take all the time you need, Daniel," I replied from the sofa, looking up from my tablet. "Make sure you close the deal."
"Always do, honey," he smirked, grabbing his leather briefcase and stepping out into the rain.
Fifteen minutes later, Vivian exited through the side door, wearing an expensive camel-hair trench coat and carrying an oversized leather handbag. "I’m heading out to my bridge club, Nora. Lock the doors behind me, will you?"
"Of course, Vivian. Have a wonderful game."
The moment her silver sedan pulled out of the driveway, my phone chimed with a message from Detective Miller: Target vehicles are moving toward the closing offices on 4th Avenue. Units are in position. Agent Hayes and I will pick you up in five minutes.
I stood up, smoothed down the front of my dark overcoat, and grabbed my handbag containing the original deed to our home. There were no butterflies in my stomach. There was no panic. Only the absolute, icy stillness that comes when a long-awaited storm finally makes landfall.
The unmarked police cruiser arrived at the curb with tires hissing against the wet asphalt. I climbed into the back seat beside Detective Miller, who handed me a small earpiece connected to the tactical radio frequency.
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"The decoy closing office is fully wired for sound and video," Agent Hayes said from the front passenger seat. "Daniel, Vivian, and their impersonator, a woman named Carla Jennings, entered the conference room three minutes ago. The escrow officer handling the closing is an undercover federal agent. They are about to execute the fraudulent notarization right now."
As the cruiser sped toward downtown Bellevue, the live audio feed crackled to life in my ear.
